{"id":11862,"date":"2021-01-28T02:33:59","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T07:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/state-lawmakers-face-publics-water-rights-issues\/"},"modified":"2021-01-28T02:34:02","modified_gmt":"2021-01-28T07:34:02","slug":"state-lawmakers-face-publics-water-rights-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/state-lawmakers-face-publics-water-rights-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"State lawmakers face public\u2019s water rights issues"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At a September event in Rapid City, water protectors raise awareness: The opportunity to take part in the decision-making process on water permits by filing petitions with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources would be knee-capped, if the agency\u2019s proposed HB1028 is approved in the current state legislative session. COURTESY \/ Rapid Creek Watershed Action<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

PIERRE \u2014 Over the past several years, tribal government, Native citizenry, allies, and accomplices have petitioned to intervene in state water permit proceedings where the proposals under consideration could have severe negative impacts on natural resources and communities.<\/p>\n

Those proposals include the TC Energy Corp.\u2019s Keystone XL Pipeline, Powertech-Azarga\u2019s Dewey-Burdock in situ leach uranium mine, and Mineral Mountain Resources\u2019 proposed gold mine near the Lakota tribal trust land of Pe\u2019 Sla \u2014 all Canada-based projects seeking water in unceded 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty territory.<\/p>\n

The opportunity to take part in the decision-making process on water permits by filing petitions with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources would be knee-capped, if the agency\u2019s proposed HB1028<\/a> is approved in the current state legislative session.<\/p>\n

The bill\u2019s strict criteria for eligibility, or \u201cstanding\u201d, would admit only petitioners who prove they would suffer an individual threat \u201cunique from any injury suffered by the public in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill is entitled \u201cAn Act to revise petition requirements and the criteria for issuance of a water right permit.\u201d<\/p>\n

It qualifies specific personal injury concerns that meet pre-established code requirements and fit the format for petition provided by the Chief Engineer. Additionally, the bill limits the scope of \u201cpublic interest\u201d when it comes to approving or denying water permits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese criteria are clearly meant to shut out from the public process citizens who have serious concerns about threats to our public water, as well as potentially diminishing standing of organizational and government entities whose members will be adversely impacted,\u201d the statewide non-profit Dakota Rural Action warned in its weekly legislative update.<\/p>\n

\u201cRather than welcoming citizen input and participation in the process, the DENR is now seeking to severely limit that participation by filing HB1028,\u201d the grassroots organization said.<\/p>\n

The bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, though not yet scheduled for discussion. The names of committee members and their contact information is HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Compounding the water protection debate at the statehouse is a proposal from the Governor\u2019s Office to merge the Department of Agriculture with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.<\/p>\n

While sustainable practices in farming and ranching can prevent or reverse environmental degradation, much of the conventional agribusiness the state executive promotes instead contributes to the primary sector\u2019s responsibility as arguably the most destructive human activity on the planet.<\/p>\n

Since it is with difficulty that policymakers \u201cface major challenges in aligning the private interests of the agri-food sector with public interest in environmental goods<\/a>,\u201d the idea of fusing the two departments raises the question of maintaining a healthy system of checks and balances.<\/p>\n

Dakota Rural Action opposes this merger for many reasons, it says, \u201cincluding the need to keep our regulatory agency (DENR) focused on protecting water and natural resources for our current and future generations, and not diluting its staffing levels and effectiveness by joining it with an agency designed to promote our state\u2019s largest industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo put it bluntly, quality control should not be housed in the promotions department,\u201d the organization said.<\/p>\n

For the proposal to proceed, the governor must submit executive orders to the state legislature within the first five days of session. Either chamber of the legislature can block the merger through a resolution passed by a simple majority.<\/p>\n

Legislators\u2019 contact information can be accessed through the Legislative Research Council website at Find My South Dakota Legislators<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Contact Talli Nauman@gmail.net<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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The post State lawmakers face public\u2019s water rights issues<\/a> first appeared on Native Sun News Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Visit Original Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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At a September event in Rapid City, water protectors raise awareness: The opportunity to take part in the decision-making process on water permits by filing petitions with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources would be knee-capped, if the agency\u2019s proposed HB1028 is approved in the current state <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a>
Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> January 28, 2021<\/p>\n

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